Time controlled apparatus



Sept. 12, 1933.

w. H. EDWARDS ET AL TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed June 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Wlfl'gi uardw kl' eew.

ATTORN EY Sept. 12, 1933. w. H. EDWARDS ET AL 1,926,144.

TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed June 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 |v l l INVENTORS Wfiwaldfofi lWGzeew ATTORNEY rneneesepe 12,1933 1 925 144 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS William H. Edwards, Great Neck. N. Y., and Irving W. Green, Cranfonl, N. 1., 18818110! to American Telephone and Telegraph a corporation of New York Application June 14, 1929. Serial No. 870,959

' 5 Claims. (01. 111-412) This invention relates to timing devices, and in series with the substation circuit through the more particularly to automatic time measuring leads 1'1 and 17, the connecting posts 18 and devices which are adapted, to be located at the 18', and the meter terminals 19 and 19'. On the subscriber's stations of a telephone system, the upper end of the supporting member 14 is posi- 5 device at each station being adapted to be opertioned the cross-bar 20 upon which is mounted ated automatically at predetermined intervals of a mercury switch. This mercury switch includes time by a constant direct current in the line to a receptacle 21, the mercury 22, the contacts 23,

measure the length of time the telephone is in the pivoted vane 24 and the vane stops 25 and use. 25'. The contacts 23 are connected through leads In the telephone metering systems heretofore 26 and 26' to the connecting posts 18 and 18', proposed, in which the meter was located at the respectively. There is also mounted on the crosssubscriberfs station, it was found necessary in bar 20 a pawl 2'2 which, when it is moved upward, order that the meter be operated automatically operates a ratchet wheel 28. A holding pawl at predetermined intervals of time, to vary the 29 is provided to hold the ratchet wheel in its line current periodically during the converse.- operated position.

tion. It is obvious that any artificial or abhor- The arrangement at substation B is the same as mal variation of the line current will introduce that shown at substation A,.as described above. objectionable disturbances in the talking circuit. When battery is applied to thedevice so that Consequently, expensive apparatus had to be the current flows in the direction indicated by the installed in, order to eliminate these disturbing solid arrows in Fig. 2-that is, from meter tereifects. minal 19 through connecting post 18, lead 17, the It is an object of this invention to provide winding of coil 13, lead it" and connecting post a telephone metering system which includes a is to meter terminal l9'the coil is energized meter located at the .subscribers station and in such a way that it is held in its normal position capable of being operated automatically at deias shown in Fig. 2, the shunt circuit, which ininite time intervals by the normal direct cunrent present in the line.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the detailed description hereinafter so following.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents dia grammatically a telephone system illustrating one embodiment oi the invention; Fig. 2 is on on largeci View of one of the stations of Fig. Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically the same embodimerit of the meter in its operated condition.

In 1, two subscribers stations A and 3 are shown with subscribers loops extending the central ofilce and terminating in the icicles and 31. As shown, A represents the station or the calling subscriberand B that of the subscriber. dubstation A comprises the usual transmitter l, the receiver 2, the receiver hos; the contacts a i. the induction coil on the condenser 6, the ringer 'l, and the line co doctors ti and 8'. in addition, there is locat at the substation a nietcrld connected in series with the substation chr'cnit with a by pass con denser 9 provided permit the voice signals so pass therethrough rather than through the meter winding. The meter M, as shown, includes a permanent magnet. 10 having adjacent or overlying, parallei disposed pole pieces 11 and 12, 11 being the outer: pole piece and 12 being the inner. An armature oi the moving coil type, having the coil 13 and the supporting member 14,.is pivoted at 15 on the bar 16. The coil 18 is positioned within the outer pole piece 11 and surrounds the inner pole piece 12. Thewindingcithecoilltiseonnected Comm,

open and no registration occurs. When battery is applied to the device so that the current flows in the direction indicated by the dotted arrows in Fig. 2, that is, in the opposite direction registre. tion begins. With this direction of current flow through the coil is, said coil moves away from its normal position shown n Figs. i and 2 through the magnetic field to the position shown in 3. This movement of the coil, through the sup porting member 1 and the cross-bar so. causes the pawl 2'? to operate ratchet wheel 28 one step and tilts the receptacle iii to position shown in Fig. The vane 24, due to the position of the vane stop 25', swings out mercury to not to the other side oi the r eptaole 2i, con The mercury in this on c letes the connection between the cents as 23 o the circuit around The is its nom nal position, shown in 1. an by the force of gravity. resents-ole .221 is till .a back to previous position and nierciiry tends to how to norniel position. lion ever, this time'the vane as, due to the position of the stop 25, presents e. restricted opening to the passage of mercury and hence retards the new thereoi and creates a definite time interval during which the shunt circuit closed and the coil deenergizeol. when the mercury finally restores to the other side of the receptacle, the connection between the contacts 23 is broken and the shunt circuit is opened. The coil is again energiaed in such a way that it again moves to the position shown in Fig. 3 and causes the ratchet eludes contacts 23 and leads 26 and 26, remains llii Eli

wheel to be operated another step and the re ceptacle to be tilted as before, This cycle is repeated atdefinite time intervals as long as the connection between the subscribers is maintained and the time of each conversation is recorded without any substantial, artificial or abnormal variation of the line current.

In order to prevent false registration due to the ringing current or to the flashing of the receiver hook, the mass of the armature is so selected that the moment of inertia thereof will be suilicient to provide sluggishness of action. Also, for this purpose, eddy current damping means in the form of a copper slug 30 inside the coil 13 is provided to retard the build-up and decay of the current in the cell.

As described above, only the current in the calling subscribers line is reversed and hence only the meter at the calling subscribers station is operated. Also,- as described, this reversal occurs desc bed in connection with. a moving coi 0; eter and with a mercury switch to one. time interval, it should be understood in capable of being embodied 1 leer forms l departing from the spirit of the invention or i the appended ole-hue.

Whit; in claimed is:

l, A device comprising, in col a pair terminals, the circuit apt. to he maintained closed Ill.

rig, parallel disposed pole to per-man ly connected in series with s nals and adapted to move between pieces, a supporting mem fastened to and adapted to be moved me her moves through its arc of vibration, a c cult adapted to be closed to shunt said coil, "ed a mercury switch controlled by the inovemen of said supporting closing a shunt on cult around said coil for keeping" said circuit closed a substantial and predetermined fur-- terval of time.

2. A-timing register comprising, in combination, a pair of terminals, the circuit across which is adapted to be maintained closed at all times during the operation of said register, a permanent magnet one pole piece of which overlies the other, a coil permanently connected in series with said terminals and adapted to move between said pole pieces, a pivoted supporting member fastened to said coil and adapted to be moved thereby, means for registering the number of times said support" ing member moves through its arc of vibration, a receptacle containing mercury adapted to be tilted by the movement of said supporting member, a circuit adapted to shunt said coil, said circuit having a pair of electrically disconnected terminals located in said receptacle, and means located in said receptacle adapted to permit said mercury to flow freely from one side of said receptacle to the other to form an electrical connection between said terminals when said supporting member is moved in one direction, and

sesame adapted to retard the flow of said mercury when said supporting member is moved in the other direction, thereby creating a substantial and predetermined time interval during which said coil is shunted.

3. A time register comprising, in combination, a pair of terminals, the circuit across which is adapted to be maintained closed at all times during the operation of said register, a permanent magnet. a coil associated with said magnet and permanently connected in series with said terminals, a supporting member adapted to move under the influence of said coil and said magnet when a voltage 01 predetermined polarity is impressed on said coil, means for registering the number of times said supporting member moves through its arc of vibration, a circuit adapted when closed to shunt said coll, a liquid timing device associated with said supporting member and adapted to be operated by the movement thereof, the operation of said timing device being adapted to close a shunt circuit around said cell and to keep said shunt circuit closed a substantial and predetermined interval of time, and. means controlled by said timing device for repeating initial energization of said coil and the movement of said supporting member alter the expiration of said predetermined interval of at. An automatic timing device comprising, in cornbina m, a pair of terminals, the circuit across .tv in adapted to be maintained closed at all ai ing the operation of said device, a magnet, c associated with said magnet and permanently connected in series with said 'ter nun a s *rting member adapted to move under th i :ence oi? said coil and said magnet I is energized, means for registering no es through its arc of vibration, a shunt cirvice controlled by the movement of said supporting member for closing said shunt circuit azci said coil and maintaining said shunt circuit closed a substantial and predetermined interval of time.

5. A timing device comprising, in combination, a pair of terminals, the circuit across which is adapted to be maintained closed at all times during the operation of said device, a magnet, a coil permanently connected in series with said terminals and adapted, when energized, to move under the influence of said magnet, a supporting member fastened to'said coil and adapted to be moved thereby, means for registering the number of times said supporting member moves through its arc of vibration, a receptacle containing a liquid and adapted to betilted by the movement of said supporting member, a circuit adapted to shunt said coil, and means in said receptacle adapted, when said supporting member is moved in one direction, to be acted upon by said liquid,

of times said supporting member 

